Mountainfilm for 5th summer!!!

I had thought it was going to be next weekend, so it kinda sorta snuck up on me this year.

In early June, I'd reserved five seats for my and Christina's family, as well as one for her boyfriend of the past year.

Remember, I did that last year, too, even though she and Anthony had only known each other a few months. 

Then, on Thursday, I saw the email reminding me... 

reading that the MountainFilm On Tour Savannah was in two days...

yikes!

I let my first niece know, but she wasn't able to go on short notice.

How about Michael and the twins?

Nope, they couldn't, neither.

That's okay, I was still going to partake of these movies not otherwise available to me at the local cinemas.

I've been enjoying these Telluride films for the 16 years they've been here!

The big program will be in January, of course, but I also like these short film festivals in the summer and for Veterans Day. 

There were five films from Telluride, plus a local one from a group of guys named Max at Savannah Arts Academy... seriously!

The young men screened "Clean Coast Club: Tides Of Change", a four-minute short that featured them cleaning up the marshes and beaches around, and between, Tybee and Savannah.

As we were all at Savannah Arts Academy for this film festival, they received a very nice round of applause!!!

The first film from Telluride was from 2025, a 34-minute documentary titled "What The River Knows", featuring songs from Katie Lee.

She fell in love with the Colorado River and its beaches in Glen Canyon, then became an environmental activist who called for the closing of the Glen Canyon Dam and the return of the area to its natural state.

That was followed by a shorter, 10-minute, piece, "The Opening Prayer (Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen), with spoken Iroquois and English subtitles.

Although beautifully done, with many Native Americans taking part in each stanza of the prayer for the Creator, Earth, water, fruits, trees, medicine, and more, I couldn't help but remember that younger audience members would have felt a bit left out, with only lovely photos on the screen.

(I did find an English-spoken version on youtube, though.)

I was a little surprised that the third film hadn't been saved for the Veterans Day screenings, as its focus was a Coast Guard veteran.

Titled "First In, Last Out", the 25-minute documentary followed surf photographer Christa Funk, who was always in place in the water before the surfers arrived.

What incredible images she captured!!!

I do believe Miyah and Chloe would have loved that one!!

"About Damn Time: The Dory Women of Grand Canyon" was the fourth from the Telluride film festival.

It was 24 minutes of white water rafting in little boats called dories, which are regarded as "the ballerinas" of the rapids.

It was so much fun to watch those guides cum cooks power rowing down the Colorado River in those six-person crafts!

In fact, I'm glad I found the video on youtube to watch again!!!

Yes!

After that fourth film, there was a brief intermission to give away t-shirts and other souvenirs for those kids who could answer questions.

I took a bathroom break... and missed the last film!

"Strike - Mary Rand" was only 3 minutes long...

but I found it, too, on youtube!!!

Nice to cool off while watching all that shushing in snow!

Very nice way to be welcomed home from the cruise vacation!

(smile!)